Receptacle with circuit breaker means



D. A. MILLER 7 Nov. 7, 196 7 RECEPTAGLE WITH CIRCUIT BREAKER MEANS Filed NOV. 29, 1966" INVENTOR.

Dal/Id Allen Mil/er 3,351,728 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 3,351,728 A 1 V RECEPTACLE WITH CIRCUIT BREAKER MEANS David Allen Miller, 5816 Townsend Place,

Cheyenne, Wyo. 82001 Filed Nov. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 597,723 5 Claims. (Cl. 200-167) I ABSTRAC OF THE DISCLOSURE.

This invention relates to means for. providing automatic control of an electricalcircuit and has particular reference to a wall type receptacle containing such means. 7

Although a standard circuit breaker box provides the necessary protection for all the electrical circuits in a home or commercial building, it wastes a great deal of time, space, and wire. When a conventional circuit breaker is actuated by a current overload, time must be spent to locate the circuit breaker box and reset the circuit breaker. Although this invention takes time'to reset,'1t

requires very little time to locate since each receptacle with circuit breaker means is no farther away than the endof the appliances power cord. This invention also eliminates the hazards that may accompany persons blindly moving about in the dark when searching for the circuit breaker box. p

This invention would also be safer than conventional circuit breaker boxes in that each receptacle with circuit breaker means would have a separate current rating not to exceed the amount needed to operate two fairly com- 7 mon appliances, depending on the type of building and general appliances used in that building. Each circuit breaker in a circuit breaker box generally covers a circuit containingreceptacles to operate seven or eight electrical appliances. If only one appliance is being used on a circuit designed for eight, the current required to actuate the circuit breaker greatly exceeds the requirements of.

the appliance, therefore creating a'fire hazard if a Short 'circuit develops in the appliance.

In summary, this invention provides a receptable with circuit breaker means that is safer, more eflicient in pro tection against current overload, and mor'econvenient to operate than conventional circuit breakers in circuit breaker boxes.

This invention relates to electrical circuit breaker units and more particularly a receptacle with circuit breaker means. I

It is therefore the main purpose of this invention to provide an electrical receptacle with a means for provid ing automatic protection from a current overload.

Another object of this invention is'to provide a receptacle with circuit breaker means which is arranged to be manually reset.

Another object of this invention is to provide a receptacle with circuit breaker means which will occupy the same space as a standard electrical junction box.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a receptacle with circuit breaker meanswhich is of simple and inexpensive construction, safe and dependable in operation, designed for long life and durability, may be mass-produced, may be inexpensively manufactured, may

be sold at reasonable cost, and provide maximum utility to its user. p 7

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be come apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accom-,

panying drawing, wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the"details'disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall tions therein. Each side of box 11 is also provided with I within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. A

In the drawing: 7 FIGURE 1 is a side view of elevation with the lines.

FIGURE 2 is an exposed perspective view of FIGURE 1. s

According] to this invention, a receptacle with" circuit this invention shown in tron box 11 which is provided with a plurality of holes 12 which are suitably aligned with holes 12 for securing. of the rectangular circuit breaker unit 17 within junction box 11 by means of a plurality of screws 13, both sides of the junction box are provided with internal horizontally disposed guidance members having respective slotted porconcentrically cooperating holes 15 which are suitably vided for securing rod 27 therein thus allowing pivoting aligned with holes 29 of the insert 28, and by using a pair of screws 16 insert 28 can be secured without guidance members 14. The top portion of unit 17 is provided with a handle 18, which is cooperating with the projection 20 of the top receptacle unit 22. When unit 20 is inserted within handle 18 a pin 19 secures both components in a pivotal manner. A bottom receptacle unit 23 is secured with said top unit 22 by means of connecting strips 24 and 25, which strips in turn are secured to their respective receptacle units by screws 26. Each strip 24 and 25 is provided with corresponding holes 27' for. admitting a rod 27 which is disposed within the slots of the'res pective guidance members 14. For sake of additional support an insert 28 is procapability (in a limited sense) for the receptacle units 22 and 23. Also, the front end of insert 28 is provided with a hole 28 which allows the. insertion of a screw or fastener for supporting a front plate (not shown) on the junction box 11.

It will also be, noted that, in operation, when the line current is too overly excessive the handle 18 of breaker unit 17 will urge the projection 20 into an outward direction as shown in FIGURE 1. A second operation is accomplished by pushing receptacle unit 22 into box 11 of breaker unit 17 into circuit breaker unit 17.

which will allow the projection 20 to force the handle 18 position which would reset'the I claim:

1. A receptacle circuit breaker connector comprising a junction box having side walls, rear wall and an open front, a pair of guidance members secured within said box, a circuit breaker unit secured to said rear wall and having an inverted -U-shaped handle member pivotally supported therein, means securing said units within said box, a projection extending outwardly from one of said units and pivotally afiixed to said handle member whereby a visual indication is provided and a means for manually resetting said circuit breakerunits within said box is pro? vided when the current load is excessive.

2. The receptacle circuit breaker connector according to claim 1 wherein the rear wall of said box is provided with a plurality of holes for admitting screws therein so that said unit may be secured to a flat surface.

3. The receptacle circuit breaker to claim 1 wherein each of said guidance members is provided with a slot for supporting said units.

4. The receptacle circuit breaker connector according to claim 1 wherein said means for securing said units includes a pair of upwardly disposed metallic strips pivotally attached to each of said units,:the center portion of each junction box disclosed in phantom V breaker means 10 includes a conventional open-end junc- I of inverted U-shape, for pivotally connector according 3,351,728 3 4- of said strips is provided with a hole and a rod positioned References Cited within said hole for pivotally supporting said strips. UNITED STATES PATENTS 5. The receptacle circuit breaker connector according to claim 4 wherein a metallic insert having means adapted 119551513 4/1934 Petersen to affix a front plate is positioned in front of said rod in 5 such a manner that said rod is secured within said guid- ROBERT SCHAEFER Exammer' ance members and allowing said strips to pivot. H. O JONES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RECEPTACLE CIRCUIT BREAKER CONNECTOR COMPRISING A JUNCTION BOX HAVING SIDE WALLS, REAR WALL AND AN OPEN FRONT, A PAIR OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS SECURED WITHIN SAID BOX, A CIRCUIT BREAKER UNIT SECURED TO SAID REAR WALL AND HAVING AN INVERTED U-SHAPED HANDLE MEMBER PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED THEREIN, MEANS SECURING SAID UNIT WITHIN SAID BOX, A PROJECTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM ONE OF SAID 